Clear weekend event update

Yesterday we could have gone windsurfing
in the back yard. Our area got hit with
sustained winds of around 60 mph with
more heavy rain.

The forecast is for rain today but clear
for the rest of the weekend. Since our
basement is almost dry that makes us
think of upcoming car events.

Saturday, June 1 is the Mississippi
Valley Mustang Roundup Cruise In at
the HyVee, 201 West 10th Avenue in
Milan, Illinois.

Saturday, June 1 is the Back to the
50’s & 60’s Car Show & Cruise In at
the Crawfordsville Ball Park in
Crawfordsville, Iowa.

Show runs from 10 am to 2:15 pm.
You can call 319-863-3268 for more
information.

Sounds like things have changed since
we sat at the gas station drinking
nickel Cokes while watching the Feed
Store across the road.

Sunday, June 1 is also the start of
Hot Rod Power Tour in Arlington, Texas.

Sunday, June 2 is the Rail Town Rumble
Lakestorey Cruise-In held at pavilion
4, 1572 Machen Drive, Galesburg,
Illinois. Runs from 9 am to 4 pm.

Sunday, June 2 is the Quad Cities
Gearhead’ Sunday Cruise In at Hero’s
Pub & Grill, 3811 Harrison, Davenport,
Iowa.

Sunday, June 2 is also the 3rd Annual
Cruisin’ For A Cure Car Show in Dubuque,
Iowa. Call 563-542-2977 for information.

Friday, June 7 is the Dick-N-Sons
Car Display at 235 Oak Lane in Blue
Grass, Iowa. Just off Highway 61 at
exit 107. Starts around 6 pm.

Drive between the raindrops, keep the
shiny side up, and enjoy the photo of
a 1937 Sharknose Graham.
Comments are always welcome.

Cyber crime update

The Internet Crime Complaint Center
(iC3) and FBI have issued another update
about cyber crimes.

It now seems the crooks are using a photo
sharing program to deliver a virus to our
computers.

If you are considering buying something
online you may want to use the link above
to learn more.

Suspicious activity could include a
seller who claims a buyer backed out
or a seller offering to send pictures
that weren’t on the site.

The site tells you what to look for in
the latest scams as well as older ones.
Like the Citadel Malware, Smartphone
malware with safety tips, how lawyers’
identities are used for fake website,
and malware on laptops when you use a
hotel internet connection to name some.

Sometimes good people get taken in by
these scams so it pays to be aware of
some of the things being done by those who
want to separate us from our money.

If you have had a problem and wish to
file a complaint, go here
to do so.

There are times when we wish these people
would just get a job and leave the rest
of us alone.
Comments are always welcome.

The battle

The bush stood facing the morning sun with
the sunlight highlighting the dew covered
leaves.

Big as a buffalo and twice as wide this
malignancy of nature had to be cut down
to size.

I stood facing this evil plant with a
pair of pruning shears in each hand,
much like a gunslinger, contemplating
a fight to the death.

One of us was going to get cut down to
size and I had hopes it would be this
green monster and not yours truly.

With the sun sparkling of the dew and
a slight wind the bush appeared to
flexing its muscles in anticipation of
the upcoming fight.

I was ready. After ninety minutes the
bush had taken on the appearance of
normalcy. Branches lay all around us
as testament to the battle that had
cut it down to half the original size.

Putting iodine on my wounds and then
gathering up the branches I returned
to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

Feeling very much the victor I told
the wife about my exploits. And that’s
when I got the ‘look’.

She explained you cannot do battle
with a plant and there was no arguing
the point.

The heavy artillery came out with her
outburst of ‘don’t you have hedge
trimmers?’

I tried to explain that it was personal
but I saw the ‘no sale’ sign in her eyes.
Plan B didn’t work either because she
stated that just because our ancestors
didn’t have hedge trimmers did not mean
I could call it a battle.

So once again the wife thinks I’m crazy
even after my explanation. It must be
guy thing.
Comments are always welcome.

Foul weather diversions

We made it through most of the day without
rain today and while the sky was cloudy, it
was bright outside.

Then in the afternoon, the sky took on a
leaden look that cast a silver sheen over
everything. The grass looked bright enough
to be a neon light and the trees became a
much darker green.

Shortly after sundown the thunder roared,
the lightning lit up the sky like a
searchlight, and the rain began. We don’t
believe we’ll get much rain, but things
like this always make us think about
watching neat rides.

So if you’re having some rough weather,
here are some video diversions.

This one is about some guys in Idaho who
put together some neat rides.

Here are show vehicles leaving an indoor
show.

Some footage from an Ocean City,
Maryland show complete with burnouts.

How they do pinstriping, sliverleaf,
and more from Germany.

A diversion post wouldn’t be complete
with a little music, so here is “Little
Duece Coupe”.

If you’re having bad weather, and if I
were a doctor, I’d say watch these
videos until you forget about it.

You can comment in the morning if you
don’t feel better.
Comments are always welcome.

An old man and his sea

Since Saturday we’ve had 6+ inches of
rain and more on the way. We’ve lost
power and have been pumping water out
of the basement almost hourly.

We did have a problem when I fell
asleep for a few hours early this
morning and ended with 6 inches of
water in the basement.

Got it pumped out, finally got the
water heater going again around
midnight, and had lunch shortly after.

Might even get supper before the sun
comes up if nothing else goes wrong.

Typical Midwest weather. Drought one
year and a monsoon the next. When we
get a dry day later in the week I may
even find time to sleep.

I figure we can either build an Ark
if it keeps raining or fix the problem
if it quits. Talk about needing a sign.

As soon as we know which choice to
make we’ll give you an update.
Comments are always welcome.

Please remember

Monday is my brother’s birthday. Happy
Birthday John! This year it also happens
to be on Memorial Day. The day was once
known as Decoration Day and is the last
Monday in May.

Memorial Day is to honor all those who
gave the ultimate sacrifice defending
our country.

It should not be confused with Veteran’s
Day which honors all veterans living or
dead.

It is a day when flags are raised at
sunrise then solemnly lowered to half
staff to remember those who gave their
lives defending our freedoms.

At noon, the flag is raised to signify
they didn’t die in vain and that we will
continue the fight for liberty.

It is a day many place flowers on the
graves and volunteers place flags on
all the graves in our National Cemeteries.

A day of parades, speeches, concerts, and
barbecues which begins our summer season.
The Indianapolis 500 runs the Sunday prior
as does the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race.

And it is a weekend of Rolling Thunder.
An event started in 1988 that has grown
to include 900,000 participants.

Please take a moment during this day and
remember those who gave all to keep us
free.

“Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect,
no ravages of time testify to the present
or to the coming generations that we have
forgotten as a people the cost of a free
and undivided republic.”
~General Logan- May 5, 1868

We must never forget.
Comments are always welcome.

We got it made

I sure do like technology. It never
ceases to amaze me the how fast things
seem to be moving.

Things we take for granted today were
either not available or much cruder
a short while ago.

1903, our starting point, might seem
like ancient history to some, but in
the grand scheme of things, it is not.

110 years ago the Wright brothers had
the first successful manned airplane
flight. It didn’t last long or go very
far, but it did fly.

Since then man has only gone faster,
higher, and farther than ever before.

Around the same time Henry Ford came
out with his Model T, the first car
built on a moving assembly line. And
you could get it in any color as long
as it was black.

The first handheld mobile phone was
developed by Motorola in 1973. It was
9 inches long, 5 inches deep, 1.75
inches wide, and weighed 2.5 pounds.

This gave you 30 minutes of talk time
on a full battery with a 10 hour recharge
time. We’re glad they’re a little
smaller today.

And what about solar cells? The first
solid state photovoltaic cell was built
in 1883. The first practical solar cell
took until 1954 and was developed by
Bell Laboratories.

Solar cells were on board the Vanguard
satellite when it launched in 1958, but
the cells were used mostly in toys as
they couldn’t produce enough electricity.

Today these cells can be linked to
produce enough electricity to run a small
city.

There isn’t one aspect of our lives that
hasn’t benefited from the advances made
in technology during our lifetimes.

We do live in interesting times.
Comments are always welcome.

Week full of cruisin’

Even though it is cooler in the Hawkeye
State, Cruise-Ins, Car Shows, and more
are going to happen.

Around here that usually include the
disclaimer ‘may be cancelled if it
rains’.

So the good Lord willing and the creek
don’t rise, here is a week full of
events.

Later today is the Mobile Wiring-Fast
6 Car Show at the Rave Cinemas, 3601
East 53rd. St., Davenport, Iowa from
3 pm to midnight.

Saturday, May 25 is the Quad Cities
Cruisers’ Cruise In at SouthPark Mall,
4600 27th St., Moline, Illinois from
6-9 pm.

Cost is $2 to show your car or free
to look.

Sunday, May 26 is the Mt. Carroll Mayfest
Car Show at the Campbell Center in Mt.
Carroll, Illinois from 9 am to 4 pm.

Monday, May 27 is the 2013 Memorial
Monday Run at the Carrol County
Fairgrounds, 28734 Milledgeville Road,
Milledgeville, Illinois from 8 am to
3:30 pm.

Tuesday, May 28 is the Quad City
Mopar Club & Dairy Freez Cruise In at
3950Rockingham Road, Davenport, Iowa
from 5:30 pm until the cows come home.

Wednesday, May 29 is the Ducky’s
Lagoon Cruise In at 13515 78th Avenue
West, Taylor Ridge, Illinois from
6-9 pm.

Thursday, May 30 is the Culver’s
Cruise Gathering at 3400 West Kimberly
Road, Davenport, Iowa from 5-9 pm.
Grab a butter burger and eyeball some
nice rides.

Friday, May 31 is the Show Off Friday
at Riverwalk Park in Independence, Iowa
from 6-9 pm. Free admission and tunes
by 3-D Sound.

Then on Saturday, June 1 the River Walk
Cruise will start lining up at 9 am in
Riverwalk Park, Independence, Iowa. The
69 mile two-way cruise will leave at
1 pm sharp.

Motorcycles will cruise east and the
cars will cruise west.
Comments are always welcome.

Infamous history

You may not realize this, but on this day,
May 23 in 1934 Clyde Barrow and Bonnie
Parker were killed in Bienville Parish,
Louisiana.

A posse opened fire when a 1934 Ford
driven by Clyde Barrow drove down a
country road.

The car was sprayed with more than 100
bullets when the shooting stopped. It
has been said the posse couldn’t hear
for several hours after the ambush.

The event spawned many controversies
that involved law enforcement, relatives
of Bonnie and Clyde, the owner of car
Clyde was driving, and missing money.

Clyde’s mother asked for the return of
his guns found in the car while Bonnie’s
family asked for her clothing. They were
refused.

A Sheriff tried to take the car, but
was sued by the legal owner who got it
back for an $85 towing and storage fee.
The owner got the car back in August,
1934 complete with over 130 bullet holes,
and an interior covered with blood and
tissue.

The same Sheriff was rumored to have
taken a suitcase full of money. He claimed
it a coincidence when he purchased an
auction barn and land in Arcadia shortly
after the ambush.

In early 1935 members of Clyde’s family
were charged with harboring a fugitive
and 20 family members received sentences
from 1 hour in custody to 2 years.

The ambush was the beginning of the
end of the “Public Enemy” era. Regardless
of how we feel about their crimes, they
are a part of our history.
Comments are always welcome.

Pulling hair out

I started yesterday in a good mood and
it lasted most of the day. Then, last
night, I fired up the computer to check
what was going on with Facebook.

My account was hacked and someone had
started an ‘open group’ with my name. I
started receiving cryptic messages that
wanted to know what ‘the group’ was
about.

Since I didn’t know what group anyone
was talking about I wondered what was
going on.

Then a pop-up stated that because I
had tagged too many photos my account
was suspended. I don’t even know how
to tag a photo!

I quickly rebooted and changed my
password.

After some investigation I found the
group did exist, I was listed as owner,
69 people had joined, and it had 68
friends. Huh?

First off, I get on Facebook to look
at pictures of old cars and catch
up on news about old cars.

I do not visit Farmville nor wish to
pop bubbles or play with candy at the
site.

After a little research the hacker
was located in Brazil. After even more
research, it was narrowed down to Sao
Paulo, Brazil.

Obviously, since Iowa isn’t located in
Brazil, this led me to believe my page
had been hacked.

The group has been shut down and I
now wonder if I will have to begin fresh
with another Facebook account.

Mama said there would be days like
that.
Comments are always welcome.